Selectively positioned electrical control for computing registers



Aug. 18, 1959 w. H. DURAND 2,900,133 SELECTIVELY POSITIONED ELECTRICAL CONTROL FOR COMPUTING REGISTERS Filed Nov. 19, 1956 IM/E N TOR United States Patent SELECTIVELY POSITIONED ELECTRICAL CON- TROL FOR COMPUTING REGISTERS William H. Durand, Omaha, Nebr.

Application November '19, 1956, Serial No. 623,072

Claims. (Cl. 235-132) This invention relates generally to a mechanically operated electrical control adapted to be used in conjunctionwith computing registers, and more particularly to a novel device of this type adapted to be used for regulating the dispensing flow of a power-operated gasoline pump.

Motor-driven gasoline pumps, and similar continuous flowv dispensing devices, have in the past required careful manual control to efiect shut-ofi when a variably predetermined quantity of fluidv has been dispensed. For example, in the practical operation of a gasoline pump, the attendant must manually control a discharge valve in order to dispense a desired number of gallons of gasoline or a desired dollar amount of gasoline. Although autoinatic devices have been suggested for effecting automatic shut-oil of dispensing flow when a full charge of gasoline has been dispensed into an automotive vehicle, simple and reliable control mechanisms enabling selective automatic dispensing of lesser amounts of gasoline have not been achieved.

It is a primary purpose of this invention, therefore, to provide a simple and reliable means for actuation of a signal device to break the pump-motor circuit or to actuate a solenoid-operated discharge valve or a power-operated dispensing apparatus, or to perform some other useful control function such as operating visual or audible signal's, in response to the indication by a cooperating computing register of a predetermined amount of dispensed fluid.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel mechanically operated electrical control mounted for selective adjusted positioning relative to a computing register for co-ordinated switch actuation in response to normal computer operation.

It is a further object to provide a simple and reliable control mechanism for effecting adjusted positioning of a control switch relative to a computing register by means of a'manually operated pull-knob control panel.

With these and other objects in view, this invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combinationwith the various parts of the electrical control for computing registers, whereby the objects contemplated are obtained, ashereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

' Figure 1 is a perspective view, with parts brokenaway,

removed, and in section, to show details of construction of'an electrical control fora computing registerconstructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; and I Figures 2 through 5 are more or less diagrammatic views, in side elevation, showing the cooperative relation between the control switch and the computing register for various predetermined operating selections.

Referring now more particularly to Figure l of the drawing, an adjustably mounted switch assembly is indicated generally at 10. The computing register 12 is d sposed closely adjacent the assembly 10. The register r' r 2,900,133 Ice Patented Aug. 18, 1959 12 may be of the type commonly used with conventional power-operated gasoline dispensers, and it will be understood that the register is exemplary of any rotary indicia arrangement operated in response to a rate or quantity of dispensing flow;

The switch assembly 10 comprises a generally hollow housing 14, which may be of explosion-proof construction if desired. A switch unit 16 is mounted within the housing 14 and provides a trip element 18. An actuator plunger 20 is mounted below the switch trip 18 for reciprocal movement through a suitable supporting boss 22 of the housing 14. A lever arm 24 is rotatably carried by a pivot shaft 25 on the housing 14, and extends below the plunger 20, for contacting engagement therewith, and a substantial distance outwardly therebeyond. The housing 14 is r'emovably and fixedly carried by a supporting arm 26 in the form of an L-shaped tube. The opposite end of the arm 26 is rotatably received within a hinge bracket 28 for rotary movement about an axis of rotation R. The bracket 28 provides a mounting flange 30 for fixed attachment to a top cover plate or similar stationary structural member 32 of the computing unit of a gasoline dispenser or the like.

The bracket 28 effects a coupling of the arm 26 with the fixed conduit having a mounting flange 36 for attachment to the plate 32. In this way, electrical lead cables 38 will be protectively enclosed in extended communication through the supporting arm 26 to the switch unit 16 also protectively enclosed within the housing 14. It will be apparent that the housing 14 may be swung in an arcuate manner about the axis of rotation R so as to effect either a raising or lowering of the housing 14 relative to the fixed location of the adjacent register 12.

The hinge bracket 28 may be of the type incorporating an internal stop or abutment so as to prevent lowering of the switch element 10 below a pre-determined lowermost position. Alternatively, a stop bracket 40 having an adjustable support rod 42 may be utilized to facilitate adjustable mounting of the switch assembly 10 in various installations.

The computing register 12 may be of any conventional rotary type adapted to be driven in response to the dispensing of fluid. For purposes of illustration, a register of the type having indicia for indicating the dollars and cents of a gasoline sale through suitable apertures of an escutcheon 44 of a conventional motor-driven gasoline pump has been shown. A rotating drum or cylinder 46 provides integer indicia from 0 to 9, and is of the type which is rotated in an intermittent manner, moving to the next larger dollar amount following suflicient complete revolutions of the adjacent cylinders 48 and 50. In this way, the cylinder 46 is indexed through an arc of rotation as each new dollar amount is registered. A cam member 52 is carried by the outer face of the dollar amount cylinder 46, and is intermittently rotated with the cylinder during movements from one dollar amount to another. The cam 52 is in alinement with the switch assembly lever 24 so as to efiect engagement therewith when the cylinder 46 has rotated through a suflicient arc.

The entire switch assembly 16 may be elevated above its lowermost stop position by means of a mechanical adjustment assembly, indicated generally at 54. A control panel 56 is mounted above the computer escutcheon 44 in any convenient location on the outer housing of the gasoline dispenser or the like. Four control knobs 53, 6t 62, and 64 extend from the panel 56. The knob 58 is merely an optional dummy control for convenience of manual operation, and terminates inwardly in an unconnected stop wire 66 which functions only to limit outward withdrawal or pull-out of the knob 58. The knobs 60, 62, and 64 are each connected through corresponding flexible sheaths 68, 70, and 72 to a plurality of pull wires 74, 76, and 78, respectively. A suitable mounting bracket 80 is provided to insure positioning of the pull wires 74, 76, 78 in generally parallel vertical alignment and to secure the ends of the sheaths 68, 70, 72 against withdrawal movement.

The switch housing 14 provides an outwardly extending top flange 82 having apertures 84, 86, and 88 through which the pull wires '74, 76, and 78 extend downwardly. The terminal ends of the pull wires are bent to provide abutment hooks adapted to engage the lower surface of the housing flange 82 when the pull wires are attempted to be drawn upwardly through the flange apertures. The control knob 60 has been shown withdrawn in dotted lines in Figure 1 to illustrate the elevated position of its corresponding pull wire 7 4. The engagement of the pull wire hook end with the housing flange 82 is indicated at 74.

The pull wires 74, 76, and 78 are of different lengths extending below the housing flange 82. In this way, full manual pull-out of the corresponding control knobs 60,

.62, and 64 will cause engagement of the pull wire hook ends with the housing flange 82 at dilferent distances of knob pull-out. By fully pulling out any of the control knobs 6t 62, 64, the longest pull wire 74 will effect a small degree of elevation of the housing 14 by pivoting of its support arm relative to the hinge bracket 28, whereas the relatively shorter pull wires 76 and 78 will effect an intermediate and a maximum pivoting and elevation of the housing 14 relative to the register 12.

In operation, an attendant will pull out the appropriate control knob to effect automatic operation of the gasoline dispenser as desired. If, for example, it is desired to dispense a two dollar amount of gasoline, the knob 60, hearing the suitable indicia corresponding to the dollar value of its functional operation, will be pulled out to its limit. This will seWe to withdraw the pull wire 74 upwardly so as to bring its hook end into engagement with the housing flange 82 and thereby effect an elevation of the housing 14 in an arcuate path about the axis of rotation R. It will be apparent that this will serve to elevate the entire switch assembly relative to the fixed computing register 12, thereby increasing the initial distance between the lever arm 24 and the cam 52.

Similarly, withdrawal of the control knob 62 and its pull wire 76 will effect a correspondingly greater elevation of the switch assembly 16 relative to the computing register 12. The control knob 64 and its pull wire 78 will operate to effect an even still further elevation of the switch assembly 16.

Assuming that the control knob 60 has been fully withdrawn, and the dispensing unit placed in operation by energizing its motor-driven pump, the dispensing flow of fluid will cause the register cylinders 46, 48 and 50 to be rotated in conventional manner. When the register cylinder 46 has rotated from its initial zero position to its one dollar position, the cam 52 will be rotated upwardly toward the lever 24. Upon further rotation of the cylinder 46 from the one dollar to the two dollar position, the cam 52 will effect engagement with the lever 24 which operates in the manner of a cam follower. The lever 24 will in turn raise the actuator plunger 20 to effect engagement of the switch trip 18. The switch 16 will then operate to effect cut-off of the pump motor, or closing of a solenoid-actuated shut-off valve in the discharge piping, thereby terminating dispensing operation at the desired amount.

Pulling of the control knob 62, corresponding to a three dollar amount, and elevation of the switch assembly it), requires further rotation of the register cylinder 4-6 in order to effect engagement between the cam 52 and the lever 24 for consequent switch actuation. The control knob 64, marked with the letter M for manual, serves to elevate the switch assembly 10 to a sufficient height above the computing register 12 so that no engagement between the cam 52 and the lever 24 will occur, thereby placing the automatic feature of the present invention out of operation and permitting solely manual control of the dispenser.

The normal at-rest or lowermost position of the switch assembly 10, as determined by the stop bracket 40 and its adjustable support rod 42, positions the lever 24 relative to the cam 52 so that switch actuation will occur when the register cylinder 46 moves from the zero to the one dollar position. This is illustrated by Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing. In Figure 2 the switch assembly 10 is shown in its normal lowermost position. The register cylinder 46 and the cam 52 carried thereby are shown in their normal zero position. Assuming that dispensing flow has begun, the register cylinders 48 and 50 will revolve until 99 cents has been registered, following which the cylinder 46 will index from its Zero to its one dollar position. This position after movement is shown in Figure 3 of the drawing. It will be apparent that the cam 52 has engaged the lever 24 and caused switch actuation to terminate dispensing operation.

In Figure 4 the switch assembly 10 has been shown elevated by the pull wire 74 of the two dollar amount knob 60. Engagement between the lever 24 and the cam 52 are not effected until the register cylinder 46 has moved from its one dollar to its two dollar position, at which time dispensing operation will be determined.

In Figure 5, the switch assembly 10 is shown elevated to its maximum position by the pull wire 78 of the manual control knob 64. In this position, full clearance exists between the lever 24 and the cam 52, thereby eliminating automatic cooperation and permitting full manual control.

When the dispensing operation has been automatically terminated, the switch assembly 10 may be returned to its normal initial rest position by manually pushing the withdrawn control knob back to its inward position against the panel 56, thereby allowing the switch assembly 10 to return by gravity to its normal lowermost rest position. If desired, a spring may be employed to insure such return movement.

Although a specific structural arrangement embodying pull wires has been illustrated for carrying out the principles of the present invention in elevating a switch assembly relative to a register-carried cam means, it will be understood that such adjustable positioning of the switch assembly may be carried out in a variety of ways. For example, the rotatable supporting arm 26 may provide an extension along the axis of rotation R adapted to extend through the dispenser housing, and terminating in a manual control knob or lever having suitable cooperating indicia. In this way, rotation of such a control knob to predetermined positions would rotate the supporting arm 26 and thereby directly elevate the switch assembly 10 relative to the computing register 12, thereby eliminating the pull wire type of adjustment assembly 54. Still further, a variety of linkage and lever handle arrangements could be readily adapted for selective elevation of the switch assembly 10 in place of the assembly 54 without departing from the basic features of the present invention.

It will be understood that the present invention may also be applied in non-hazardous applications which will permit a substantially simplified construction to be utilized in carrying out the principles of the present invention. For example, the switch 16 and its conductor leads 38 need not be protectively enclosed, in the manner illustrated herein by the housing 14 and supporting arm 26. A simple pivoting arm or a flat leaf spring may be used in such non-hazardous applications to support the switch unit. The principle of elevating the entire switch assembly 10 in a selected manner above the computing register 12 by means of the variable-length pull wire assembly 54 could be embodied in such simplified alternative constructions.

While there has been shown and described a particular embodiment of this invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention, and, therefore, it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

1, therefore, claim:

1. In combination with a computing register of the type having an intermittently rotated cylinder, an automatic electric control comprising, a switch having contact means, pivotal supporting means mounting said switch closely adjacent and above said computing register cylinder for arcuate movement toward and away therefrom, adjusting means comprising a plurality of pull-wires adapted when manually drawn to engage and elevate said switch in cooperation with said supporting means to various predetermined height levels relative to said computing register cylinder, cam means carried by said cylinder and operative when said cylinder is rotated to effect cooperating engagement with said switch contact means, whereby said switch will be actuated for effecting a control operation.

2. In combination with a computing register of the type having an intermittently rotated cylinder, an automatic electric control comprising, a switch having contact means, pivotal supporting means mounting said switch closely adjacent and above said computing register cylinder for arcuate movement toward and away therefrom, a plurality of selectively operated means actuable to elevate said switch in cooperation with said supporting means to various predetermined height levels relative to said computing register cylinder, cam means carried by said cylinder and operative when said cylinder is rotated to effect cooperating engagement with said switch contact means, whereby said switch will be actuated for effecting a control operation.

3. In combination with a computing register of the type having an intermittently rotated cylinder, an automatic electrical control comprising, a switch having contact means, movable supporting means mounting said switch closely adjacent said computing register cylinder for movement toward and away therefrom, a plurality of selectively operated means actuable to move said switch in cooperation with said supporting means to various predetermined positions relative to said computing register cylinder, cam means carried by said cylinder and operative when said cylinder is rotated to efiect cooperating engagement with said switch contact means, whereby said switch will be actuated for effecting a control operation.

4. -In combination with a computing register of the type having an intermittently rotated cylinder, an automatic electric control comprising, a switch body having contact means, supporting means movably mounting said switch body adjacent to said computing register cylinder, selective means operable for adjusting said supporting means to move the switch body into predetermined positions relative to the cylinder, an actuating element for said contact means carried by the supporting means, and cam means carried by the cylinder and etfective when said cylinder is rotated to engage and operate the actuating element for eflecting a control operation.

5. In combination with a computing register of the type having an intermittently rotated cylinder, an automatic electric control comprising, a switch body having contact means, supporting means movably mounting said switch body adjacent to said computing register cylinder, selective means operable for adjusting said supporting means to move the switch body into predetermined positions relative to the cylinder, an actuating element for said contact means, and cam means carried by the cylinder and effective when said cylinder is rotated to engage and operate the actuating element for effecting a control operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,170,157 Huebner Feb. 1, 1916 1,208,161 Johnson Dec. 12, 1916 1,600,991 Neidich Sept. 28, 1926 2,180,821 Ginnel Nov. 21, 1939 

